Machine for cutting broo m-corn



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) h I Cr. E. BURKHOLDER.

MACHINE FUR CUTTING BROOM CORN- Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

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2 Sheets-Sheet G. E. BURKHOLDER.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BROOM CORN.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 9,. 1.887

N. PETERS. Pholo-Lhhugmphon Wzlhinflnn, D. C

in a much better condition forthe next years UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

eEonenEnAsMUs BURKHOLDER, or MORANTOWN, KANSAS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BROOM-CORN.

ElPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent 'No. 367,957, dated August 9, 1887.

. Application filed March 14, 1887.

To all whom, it mag/concern.-

Beitkno wn that I, GEORGE ERASMUS BURK- HOLDER, a citizen of the United States, resid: ing at Morantown, in the county of Allenand State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Breaking and Cutting Broo nOorn, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved machine for cutting the brush or tassels of broom-corn; and its objects are to economize in time and labor in loading the material, as well as in the previous breaking and cutting to leave the stalks crop, and to secure the brush from being ex posedto bad weather. These objects I attain by means of the construction and novel arrangementofparts,hereinafter described, illustrated iu the drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a wagonbody and my invention attached thereto. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section onthe line 00 a: of Fig. 5. Fig. 3 represents a side view of the invention attached to a wagon-body, looking toward the side to which the stalk-cutting device is attached. Fig. 4. represents a perspec-, tive view of the stalk-cutting mechanism detached. Fig. 5 represents aplan view.

Referring to the drawings'by letter, A designates awagon-body provided with the upper and lower rectangular body-sections, B B, respectivel y, attached together by the loops 1) on the lower section and the vertical cleats 1) se cured to the upper section, with their downweirdly-extending lower ends entering and fitting within said loops.

0 G are standards secured-within the corners of the body of the wagon by means of the bolts 0 passing through suitable openings in the sides of the body and each engaging in any one of a longitudinal series of threaded openings, 0 c, in the corresponding.standard, by means of which openings the standards are raised or lowered or adjusted to different heights above the wagon-body.

'D D are transverse beams or bars secured to the front and rear standards, 0, and extending out to suitable distances on each side of the wagon-bod y.

Serial No. 230,855. (No model-l E is a narrow longitudinal platform having its ends secured to the ends of the barsD D on one side of the wagon-body, and F is asimilar platform having its ends secured to the opposite ends of the bars D.

' The outer edge of the platform F is provided with a flange or strip,f, standing vertically downward and serving both as a re-enforcement and for the attachment of the stalk-cutting mechanism G, which consistsof the knife 9, secured to the front ends of said -flange f and having its convex upper cutting-edge provided with the undulationsor broad shallow teeth 9 and the elastic guide-rods g g, respectively, the former of which stands forward andinward in relation to the wagon from the front end of the knife, and the latter stands from the rear end of the same frontward and slightly inward over the upper edge ofthe knife and then bends Slightly downward and outward.

H isa longitudinal bar having its ends attached to the bars D between the platforms E and F, and serving as a seat for the attendants, who face the platform F. The said bar H is adjustable laterally.

. The operation of the machine is as follows: The attendants being seated and a man stationed in the front of the wagon-bodyadjacent to the platform F, the wagon is driven forward adjacent to the outer row of broom-corn and at such a distance therefrom that the stalks in said row will all pass between the guide-rods 9 fan (1 be directed thereby to the upper edge of the knife, where they will be severed,'as their roots are firm in' the soil and the wagon keeps moving onward. cutting the stalks by holding them in proper position on the knife, and, if necessary, by pushing the rod 9 down on them. They will, however, usually be severed as they move over the teeth 9 from front to rear. The said man in front arranges the severed stalks and passes them back in order on the platform F to other attendants, who with their knives cut off and trim the brushes or tassels and'place them on the platform E, whence they can be quickly and readily transferred toawagon. The work of the cutting and loading is thus performed with great ease and celerity and the cutbrushes are not'exposed to the weather and are conse quently in good condition.

The man in front aids in The standards are, as described, adjustable vertically to correspond with the height of the broom-corn, and if the latter is very short the upper wagoirbody section may be detached and shorter standards used.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a machine to cut broom-corn, the combination of a frame attached to a wagon-body and having a longitudinal platform, F, secured to the outer edge, the vertically arranged knife secured to the outer edge of the platform and projecting upward therefrom, said knife having the teeth in its upper edge, and the inclined guide-arms projecting longitudinally beyond the front end of the knife and crossed in front of the same, substantially as described.

2. The frame adapted to be secured to a \vagoirhody and having a platform on one side, in combination with the stalk cutting device comprising the vertically-arranged longitudinal knifeg, having the teeth on its upper edge, and the flexible gnide-armsg and projecting longitudinally beyond the front end of theknife and crossed and diverging in front of the same, substantially as described.

The frame adapted to be secured to a wagon-body and vertically adjustable thereon, having the transverse end bars, the longitudinal platforms secured to the ends of the end bars, and the longitudinal seat for the attendants, in combination with the stalkcutting device secured to one of the platforms and com prising the plate having the convex upper edge provided with wide shallow teeth, and the guide-rods extending beyond the front and rear ends of the plate or knife, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

Plum]? Moss, HENRY B. Sinrru. 

